Reduction-gear transmission



1,632,123 June* 14 1927' H. DE w. ELSE REDUCTION GEAR TRANSMISSION INVENTOR Har/y E/se.

ATTORN EY H. DE W. ELSE REDUCTION GEAR TRANSMISSION Filed April 2, 1924 2 Sheets-sheet 2 June WITNESSES: INVENTOR f -v ATTORNEY Patented June 14, 1927.

UNirEn s'rATEs vPifrENT oFFicE.

HARRY DE WITT ELSE, F WILXINSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO WESTING HOUSE ELECTRIC & MANUFACTURING COMPANY, A CORPORATION 0F PENN SYL- VANIA.

REDUCTION-GEAR TRANSMISSION.

Application led April 2, 1924. vSerial No. 703,675.

My invention relates to reduction gear units, more particularly to-,a speed change mechanism embodied in a casin or housing as a unitary drive member, whic is applicable to drive mechanism in which it is desirable to change the speeds of two rotating members in axial alinement.

It is among the objects of my invention .to provide a reduction gear un1t which is of simple, compact and durable mechanical construction and which shall lend itself readily and economically to manufacture in production quantities.

lt is another object of my invention, to provide a reduction gear mechanism of the planetary type in which the gear members shall be securely and rotatably mounted to operatey eiiciently to change the relative speeds of a pair of shaft members and which shall be free from vibrational and other detrimental forces.

1t is a further object of my invention to provide a gear reduction unit in which the housing member shall be designed to provide for the gear elements a dust andyleak proof chamber which constitutes a lubrieating chamber that shall at all times provide adequate lubrication for the rotating parts.

The common form of planetary gearing comprises a pinion member and an internal gear wheel together with a plurality of planetary gears which co-operate with the pinion and gear wheel. The rotation of the planetary gear wheels Within the internal gear member effects a speed reduction which adapts this form of gearing to applications where excessive' bulk of structure is an objection as an unnecessary incumbrance. There have been proposed hitherto many forms of planetary change gear structures that are specifically applicable to certain operating conditions for which the several parts and elements constituting the change gear unit are specifically designed in accordance with the power, speed, or other operating conditions to whic it is subjected.

My present invention is directed to a speed change mechanism, the design of which is readily adapted as a power unit or high-speed changing device, the apparatus being designed to comprise a minimum number of parts which shall provide a relatively Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view thereof taken along the line II-II of Fig.y 1,

vFig. 3 is a view, partially in section and partially in elevation, of a modied form of my inventiqn, and i Fig. 4 is -a cross-sectional view thereof taken along the lines IV-IV of Fig. 3. Referring to Fig. 1, the device therein illustrated comprises a frame 1, which may constitute a part of a motor frame or other drive unit, having a web portion 2 provided with. a hub or boss 3`fo1 rotatably'journalling a drive shaft 4. An end casing 5 having a flanged face 6 is secured to the frame 1 1n any suitable manner and a ring gear 7 having internal teeth is disposed and rigidly secured between the frame l and the end casing .5.

The end casing 5 is provided with an elongated sleeve p'ortion8 having a central opening 9 adapted to receive the extension sleeve 10 of an internal sleeve gear 11, the sleeve 1() constituting a shaft which may be coupled to a driven member.,y The sleeve gear member 10 is provided with a central opening 12 to receive the end of the shaft 4 and to permit relative movement between the shaft 4 and sleeve 10.

The shaft 4 is provided with a gear Wheel 13 Whichis secured thereto, and a pair vof spiders 14, the latter having o enings 15 and bein A plurality of planetary gear wheels 16, each constituting an integral pair of toothed rim members havinga stud or shaft meniber 17, are journalled for rotation in the spiders 14. The wheels 16 are adapted to mesh with the gear wheel 13 secured to the drive shaft 4, and the teeth of the internal ring gear 7 and the member 11. e'

The toothed rims of the gear wheels 16 in engagement with the stationary rin gear are provided with a greater num er of teeth thanthe rims meshing with the teeth adapted to rotate on t e shaft 4.

loo

of the internal gear wheel 11 -to effect a suitable speed reduction. Another manner of providing speed differentiation between the drive and driven shaft is to utilize straight cut spur ears for the wheels 16 and the shifting pitch line tooth principle for the internal wheel 11, so that the ratio of the internal wheel 11 to the ear wheels 16 differs from the ratio of t e internal Wheel 7 and the wheels 16.

In Fig. 3, I have illustrated a gear unit of slightly modified form in which one of the gear members is slidably mounted on the drive shaft for the purpose of obtaining a greater reduction of speed under operating conditions where a change of speed is de-' sirable. The frame construction 1 is similar to that shown in Fig. 1 with the exception of an offset portion 18 which provides greater space in the end chamber between the web 2 and the end casing 5. The shaft 4 is provided with a plurality of spline keys 19 which are adapted to engage correspondiiigly shaped slots of a sleeve member '20 on which the gear wheel 21 is secured, to adapt the latter to be engaged or disengaged with the gear wheels 22.

The planetary gear structure 1s mounted on a single spider 26 which is rotatably' mounted on the sleeve 20 and the gear wheel 23 is secured in spaced relation to the gear wheel 21 on the sleeve 20 to engage the gear Ywheels 24 which are secured to the studs or shafts 25 on which the gear wheels 22 are mounted. An internal gear Wheel 11 having a hollow shaft 1() similar to that of Fig. 12 is journalled in the end casing 5 in co-operative'- alinement with the planetary gear wheels 24.

The operation of these devices are briefly as follows: Referring lto the mechanism shown` in Fig. 1, a prime mover, such as amotor,

is coupled to the shaft 4 which is the high speed member and rotation of the motor shaft actuates the planetary gear wheels 16 through the gear wheel 13 causing. the

former to revolve about the axis of the shaft 4; by virtue of their tooth engagement with the stationary ring gear 7. The rotary movement of the planetary gears, the/toothed peripheries of which are of different diameters and tooth ratios, and the engagement with the internal gear wheel 11 produces a slow rotating movement of the hollow shaft 10 because of the differentiation in thc rotation of the gear/wheels. The speed ratios vary with changes in the diameters of the internal gear wheels 7 and 11, and of the toothed peripheries of the planetary gears It will be seen that this design is capable of variation to obtain a relatively great range of speed between the shaft 4f and the sleeve 1() and ,the compactness and durability of the structure produce a reduction gear unit which is efficient in its operation and allows adequate lubrication for the rotating parts. The space between the web 2 and the end bracket 5 constitutes a lubricating chamber which may be packed with-grease or other.

suitable lubricant.

The device may be utilized as a speed reduction unit or it may be used for stepping up the speed of the driving member by attaching the latter to the low speed shaft. It is also evident that vthe casing 1 to which the internal gear wheel 7 is secured may be adaptedfor rotation to utilize the casing 1 as a feed roll or mangle roll.

In' the operation of the device illustrated in Fig. 3, the planetary gears may be actuated through either of the gear wheels`2f1 or 23 and to produce changes in speed of the sleeve 10 corresponding to the ratios of the meshing gear wheels, The sleeve 20 may bc moved axially on the shaft 4 with which. it is engaged to engage either set of gear wheels but the gears 21 and 23 are so spaced on the sleeve 20 that one or the other may be engaged without possible interference of the disengaged member.

It is evident from the foregoing descripaoV tion of my invention that reduction gear units made in accordance with the principles herein set forth constitute efficient, durable and relatively inexpensive devices which are applicable to a variety of uses whereit is desirable to effect a. speed reduction between a pair of relatively movable shaft members which are preferably maintained in axial alinement.

yAlthough I have described a specific embodiment of my invention, it will be obvious to/those skilled in the art that various modiications may be made in the details of construction, such as the size and proportion of the several co-operating parts without departing from the principles herein set forth.

I claim as my invention 1 A speed-changing device, comprising a casing member, a sleeve gear journalled therein, a shaft" extending intov said sleeve gear and having a running lit therewith mounted for rotation in said casing, a pair of gear wheels mounted in spaced relation on said shaft, an internal gear securely mounted in said casing, a spider journalled on. said shaft, planetary gear-wheels journalled on said spider and adapted to engage the sleeve gear and said internal ear, and means for engaging each of said pair vof gear wheels with said planetary gear-wheels.

2. A speed-changing device, comprisin a casing member, a s eeve gear journal ed therein, a shaft extending into said sleeve gear and-having a running lit therewith mounted for rotation in said casing, a spider journalled on said shaft, planetary gearwheels journalled on said spider and in engagement with the sleeve gear, a pair of gear wheels mounted in spaced relation on said shaft, an internal gear securely mounted in said casing in engagement with the planetary gears and means for alternately engaging each `of said pair of gear wheels with said planetary gear-Wheels. s

. 3. A speed-changing device, comprisin a casing member, a sleeve gear journal ed therein, a spline shaft extending into said sleeve gear and having a runnin fit therewith mounted for rotation in sai casing, a spider journalled on said. shaft, a pair of gear wheels mounted in spaced relation on said shaft, an internal gear securely mounted in said casing, planetary ear-wheels journalled on said spider and in vengagement with said sleeve gear and internal gear and meansfor e'e'cting axial movement yof said spline shaft to engage one of said pair of gear wheels With said planetary gear-wheels. 4. A speed-changin device, comprising a casing member, a s eeve gear journalled therein, a splineshaft extending into said sleeve gear and having a running t there- With-mounted for rotation in said casing, a spider journalled on said spline shaft havin a plurality of studs rotatabl mounte therein with gear lWheels 0f di erent tooth ratios secured to the respective ends thereof, a pair of gear Wheels adapted to engage said planetary gears mounted in space relation on said shaft, an internal ear secured i to said casin and means for e ecting axial movement o said spline shaft to engage said pair of gears with said planetary gears, said planetary gears being in co-o erative engagement with said internal an sleeve gear members.

5. A speed changing device com rising a casing member, a'highspeed an a lowspeed shaft in axial alignment, two internal gears in spaced relation, and respectively attached to the low-speed shaft and to the casing, a plurality of toothed planet-ary members selectively operatively connected t0 the high-speed shaft member and constrained to revolve about tlleprincipal axis at the same time rotating about their `own axes, said planetary members being at allv times in toothed engagement with each of the internal gear members, the planetary members and the internal gear members being of such lproportions that the ratio of the one interna gear member to the planetary members differs from the ratio of the other internal gear member to the said planetary members.

6 A speed-changing device com casmg member, a high-speed an speed shaftin axial alignment, a plurality ofinternal gears/in spaced relation and respectively attached tothe low-s eed shaft andto the casing member, a p urality of inions secured to the high-speed shaft memr,1 a plurality of toothed planetary members which. are normally in continuous toothed engagement with a pinion member and with each ofthe internal gear members, said planetary members being of such proportions that the ratio ofthe one internal gear member to the lanetary member is different from the ratio of the other internal gear member tothe said planetary member with which it enga es, and means for effecting engagement o said pinions with one or the other of said planetary members.

7. A speed-changing device comprising a casing member, a high-speed and a lowspeed shaft in axial alignment, a plurality of internal gears in spaced relation and respectively attached to the low-'speed shaft and to the casing members, a plurality of toothed planetary memberswhich are in continuous toothed engagement with each of the internal gear members, said planetary members being of such proportions that the ratio of the one internal gear member to rising a a lowthe planetary member is different from the ratio of the other internal gear member to the planetar member with which it engages, anda plura 1ty of pinion members mounted on the high-speed shaft and adaptedto be selectivel engaged with the planetary members, saidypimons being of such proportions that the ratio ofthe onepinion member to the co-operating planetary member` is different from the ratio of the other pinion to the planetary member with which 1t is adapted to engage. l

.In testimony whereof, I vhave hereunto subscribed my name this 24th day of March,

` HARRY DE WITT ELSE. 

